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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor
The special election Republican primary held on Aug. 4 to determine a candidate in the race for House District 49 ended with Russell Bedsole and Mimi Penhale receiving the most votes.
However, in unofficial results neither candidate received the 50% plus one vote required to receive the Republican nomination.
Statewide, Penhale has received 31.41% of the votes, and Bedsole has received 34.82%. Votes were cast by 8.88% of registered voters in the district.
District 49 includes portions of Bibb, Shelby and Chilton County. In Chilton County, portions of Jemison and Isabella are in District 49.
The election results are set to be certified on Aug. 12.
According to a press release from the Alabama Republican party, “Provisional ballots will be counted on Aug. 11, 2020 and certification of votes will occur on Aug. 12, 2020.”
A runoff election has been scheduled for Sept. 1.
With 100 percent of Chilton County’s voter boxes being reported, Penhale lead with 52.94% of the vote. Bedsole received 20.49% of the vote. Locally, 5.39% of voters in the district cast a ballot.
A primary for the Democratic party was not held because Cheryl Patton of Montevallo was the only candidate to qualify for the party. The polls closed at 7 p.m.
The general election will be Nov. 17.
The special election was set to fill the seat of former Rep. April Weaver after she took a position as a regional director of the Department of Health and Human Services by appointment of the Trump administration.